


Such A Kind Heart

by katalizi



Category: Charmed (TV 2018)
Genre: Angst, F/M, Mind Control, Mind Games, Post s02e04, blood and violence tw, comfort and then the hurt, shakespearean sweetness, starts sweet and ends sour
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-11-08
Updated: 2019-11-08
Packaged: 2021-01-25 12:01:21
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,406
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21355930
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/katalizi/pseuds/katalizi
Summary: Macy remembers a sweeter time.
Relationships: Harry Greenwood/Macy Vaughn
Comments: 18
Kudos: 63





	Such A Kind Heart

_It was somewhere between a dream and a memory._

It was only early evening but the manor was already pleasantly quiet with Mel working a shift at The Haunt and Maggie out on some very serious Kappa business, leaving only Macy and Harry. Being both quiet, studious people they’d spent most of the afternoon and evening being quiet and studying; Macy up in the attic with the Book of Shadows, determined to see if all this demon hunting could be scientifically distilled down into simplistic formulas that could be used by anyone, not only those magically gifted, while Harry had laid claim to entire dining room table, surrounded by stacks of papers and a steaming pot of tea as he steadily marking essay papers.

As the night began to deepen Macy padded her way downstairs with her now empty coffee mug on her pilgrimage to the kitchen from some refreshments before she headed back to work. She paused as she passed by Harry who looked up from his marking with a weary smile.

“How goes the bright young minds of tomorrow?” she asked in mock-seriousness.

“Extremely tediously,” sighed Harry, taking a moment to rub at his eyes. “But seeing as how I am the one responsible for setting this particular task which no doubt lead to many sleepless nights, I must now bare the burden as best as I can.”

“It is fun to see how the other half live,” smiled Macy as she moved to look over his shoulder. “I’ve always been the one freaking out about essays, so I’m glad to see there’s consequences for everyone involved. Oh, is that pot fresh?”

“Help yourself.”

Macy glanced over the papers as she poured. “_‘The Many Lives of Mistress Quickly’_?”

“The subject was about Shakespearean representation of women and how that’s evolved — or devolved.”

“Devolved? We’ve gone back in the last 400 years?”

“In some cases. _Some_ people still think an all male cast of _Much Ado About Nothing_ has intellectual merit which is, of course, just utter nonsense.”

Macy smirked at the bitingly indignant tone in Harry’s voice. In most other men she’d think that sort of comment was strategic, a ‘woke’ act, but she’d learnt that if there was one thing about Harry she could count on it was his honesty. He truly believed in everything he did and said with the unbridled faith that she supposed could only come from a supernatural being whose sole purpose was to teach and protect. He was always so open about what he felt or thought that it had initially put Macy’s guard up, herself being someone who was so used to keeping every little thing neatly hidden away, but she had definitely come to appreciate it over time.

“So who’s Mistress Quickly? I’ve never heard of her.”

Harry turned to give her one of his patented I-can’t-believe-you-don’t-know-about-this-why-has-the-American-education-system-failed-you looks to which she merely raised her eyebrows. “Mistress Quickly is actually quite a fascinating character as she has the honour of appearing in four seperate Shakespeare plays.”

“What, like a cinematic crossover?”

He winced at her description as she smothered a giggle. “I _suppose_ one could say that. But really,” he picked up the paper and handed it to her, “I must admit I did find this particular essay an enlightening read. So many other focus on Lady MacBeth or Cleopatra and really, they all just blur at some point. I mean, they’re good essays,” he amended, as if he couldn’t stand the idea of someone thinking less of his students, “But variety is also welcome.”

Macy skimmed her way through the essay, but one particular quote stood out. Her playful giggle smoothed into a knowing smile as she read it out loud. “_A kind heart he hath: a women would run through fire and water for such a kind heart._” She looked over the paper directly at Harry. “I like that.”

His whole demeanour changed and Macy was reminded of that night after Galvin’s party when they had sat together in the attic and had admitted that they considered each other friends. That before being assigned to the Charmed Ones Harry had felt isolated, something Macy could completely relate to. She could also understand that despite his open nature a compliment, as roundabout as it had been, was still something rare and unusual for him.

“Ah yes, that’s um,” he cleared his throat, eyes darting away. “That’s from _The Merry Wives of Windsor_. Usually considered to be one of the Bard’s weakest plays.”

“Oh, really?” said Macy, her face falling. “Why?”

“Because it’s about middle-aged women being front and centre, having their own agency and tricking all the men folk around them, from their husbands to the men trying to seduce them and their daughter,” he said flatly before shrugging. “And also because most agree that it was a rush job.”

“Well, it’s still a lovely sentiment,” she said, replacing the essay to its pile. “Said by this Mistress Quickly?” He nodded. “Who was she talking about?”

Harry cleared his throat again and busied himself with his own teacup. “I believe it was about Fenton, who was trying to woo Anne, the daughter.”

“And what happened to them?”

Harry looked back up. “Well, it’s a Shakespearean comedy. They lived happily ever after.”

She smiled softly. “Good thing they weren’t in a tragedy.”

“Quite.”

Just then, without warning, the lights in the house started to snap out. A faint rumbled began to grow around them and she noticed the liquid in her cup begin to slosh out. Harry leapt to his feet, one hand already protectively on her upper arm, looking around in fear. “What is this?”

“Oh no,” whispered Macy. Suddenly she knew exactly what was happening. Why was it that only at the very end of these things could she remember who was doing this? What was coming? She grabbed Harry — her Harry — and forced him to look at her. “This isn’t real. This is a memory. My memory!”

Harry looked stunned. “A memory? But —?”

“We don’t have much time,” she said. A cold wind started to whip around them. “He’s coming!”

Harry barely had time to mouth the word “_Who_?” before he was there. The hooded assassin who had kidnapped her and was now playing with her mind.

“You!” she snarled, already aware that neither of their powers would have any effect. Without hesitation she picked up the nearest chair and threw it at him with all her strength. He knocked it aside like it was made of sticks. She rushed at him, yet with a painful stab she already knew how this was going to end — how so many other memories had been tainted — but still unable to go down without a fight. She didn’t even manage to land a blow. In whatever state this was, dreamland, memory land, whatever, he was always in complete control. He seized her by the neck and tossed her aside like a rag-doll.

“Macy!”

Gasping in pain Macy managed to look up just in time to see Harry grappling with the assassin. “No …” she cried weakly, stretching a trembling hand towards them. Before she could even move the assassin had Harry grappled, on his knees, facing her, his blue eyes wide with shock and fear. “Please …!”

Macy screamed as the assassin unceremoniously slit Harry’s throat in front of her.

…

And was still screaming as she came back to the real world. Tied to a chair in some dank, underground lair, while a monster wearing Harry’s face circled her like a shark. As soon as she realised she was back she choked her screams in her throat, bowing her head to hide her tears, loathed to give this demon any sort of satisfaction.

“I liked that one,” he cooed. “Very domestic.”

“Fuck you.” Being dragged back and forward from one reality to another was exhausting, but Macy was a long way from being beaten by the creep.

“What was that you said about him? That quote?” Footsteps came closer, a gentle hand cupped at her chin to raise her face. She snarled and pulled away from his touch but he persisted, gently caressing her cheek. “_Such a kind heart_? I wonder … will you still feel that way once we’ve been through all those other sweet little memories you have of my other half?”

Unable to move Macy simply closed her eyes and braced herself.

_Mel, Maggie … Harry … find me …_


End file.
